Novels like When the Neon Lights Fade
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as When the Neon Lights Fade, best match first.
- 1 National Fate: General, Take Off Your Armor! 国运：我请将军卸甲！ A thrilling national-fortune story: one man turns the tide, livestreamed around the globe. Fast-paced, ruthless, and never a frustrating or saintly protagonist. If you’re interested, add it to your library and follow along. Updates come fast! Lin Yan transmigrates into the National Fortune Battlefield and opens his eyes to a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. The Great Xia Ninth Legion has been wiped out, all its territory lost, and the countdown stands at 364 days! Other nations watch Grea 15Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 The Bladeless Edge 无锋利刃 In the hidden currents of the world, everyone is both a player moving the pieces and a piece on the board. Reality wears down the sharp edges of our ideals, and principles give way to self-interest, one step at a time. Behind every choice that looks so bright and promising lies a compromise that cannot be spoken aloud. When the scales tip between survival and conscience, we eventually understand: adulthood is nothing more than dancing in chains. There is often no absolute good or evil in this wo 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 Glorious Tang 煌唐 Five thousand years of Chinese history have weathered countless storms, giving rise to a long and storied past, full of both splendor and absurdity. Never mind the distant Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties or the turmoil of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. Just look at the more than two thousand years of dynastic rule since Qin Shi Huang unified the land: how many glorious golden ages saw generals pursue their enemies as far as Mount Langjuxu and envoys from every nation come to pa 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 A Rainbow of Silks Before the Palace Gate 霓裳惊阙 Political intrigue + romance + strong female lead This is a slow-burn story, an extremely slow burn!!! If you like fresh, lighthearted jianghu adventures, start with Volume One. If you like the twists and turns of court politics, start with Volume Two. If you like domineering emperor + haughty consort + substitute romance, start with Volume Three. If you like an unconventional succession struggle, start with Volume Four. Everything else is in Volume Five. The story takes place in a fictional Eas 71Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 5 Cangyuan Demon Emperor: Reborn to Avenge Every Blood Debt! 苍渊魔帝：重生归来，血债血偿！ Revenge + Strategy + Invincibility + Myriad Worlds + Ensemble Cast The invincible Demon Emperor Cangyuan ruled the Myriad Worlds, yet he was betrayed by his beloved and his sect, nearly suffering the annihilation of his soul and eternal ruin. With only a remnant of his soul, he was reborn in the lower realm, in Xuanxin Heaven, on the Xuanxin Continent, in the Great Qian Dynasty, in Thundercliff City. Reborn and revived, he returns in a trail of blood! He swears to ascend to the upper realm and m 915Reads—Score10114d adds
- 6 The Blade's Shadow in Love and War: A Choice Between Power and Loyalty 风月刀影：权谋与情义的抉择 When a great fire devours the red gates of the Jun family estate, the young man who emerges through the smoke is no longer the dashing, carefree playboy who once spent his days cockfighting and chasing dogs. His eyes hold fire and blood, and in his hand he clutches half of a broken jade pendant, the last keepsake his father gave him before the family fell. Fate sweeps him like a tide into one abyss after another. From a life of luxury to utter poverty, from the son of the powerful to an outcast 73Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 This Cultivator Is Rather Cunning 这个修士有点心计 This story focuses on schemes, suspense, and plot twists. If you enjoy this style, dive right in with confidence. Her family is wiped out, a bounty is placed on her head, and she is hunted down. She moves among the great clans, repeatedly teetering between life and death. When talent falls short, cunning makes up the difference. So what if I’m only at the Qi Refining stage? I can still scheme a Golden Core cultivator to death. So what if I have a crippled spiritual root? I can still join a major 105Reads6.9Score914d adds
- 8 I Transmigrated to the Tyrannical Qin: Chen Sheng Led Me in Rebellion 穿越暴秦：陈胜带我起义 Are kings and nobles born to their station? The protagonist transmigrates into the brutal Qin dynasty and rises in rebellion alongside Chen Sheng, in an age ruled by harsh officials. Facing divisions between sworn brothers and the relentless turning wheels of history, he plots and schemes to save the brothers who stood together when their oath was first made. Where will he lead them from here...? 343Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 9 The Transmigrated City Lord 穿越女城主 [Love triangle, slow burn, taking things one step at a time! The emotional entanglements of adults: the first male lead is passionate and fixated, while the second is clever and in control. The second male lead wins her heart.] [A beauty skilled in political intrigue! She pursues an official career, rises to a high position, and remains calm and self-possessed, leaving a prince heartbroken.] She has always believed that staying independent and relying on no one is the safest way to survive. But 27Reads—Score—14d adds
- 10 The Gods Devour Earth 神噬地球 [Ensemble Cast] [Anti-Cheat] [Political Intrigue] [Slow Burn, Not a Power Fantasy] [No Stereotypical Characters] [Mind Games] [A Mix of Classical and Vernacular Chinese Style, Not for Everyone] (Revised through Chapter 38 of Volume Two. Later chapters will be updated gradually.) Thermodynamics exists in this book. You cannot regenerate your mana forever. Any method of increasing one's power will gradually be discovered by others over time. The returns will diminish, and eventually fall to zero. 48.8kReads9.5Score8.7k14d adds
- 11 Plum Blossoms Bloom Brightly Across the Ming Empire 大明天下梅花艳艳开 Wuxia + history + imperial court + bloodshed + political intrigue + multiple female leads + not a harem + not a wish-fulfillment power fantasy. Plum Blossom Manor, the guardians of a village in Huaxia. Nixiào, the ninety-ninth-generation young manor lord, secretly leaves the manor at fourteen, only to encounter an unknown force plotting against the Great Ming... 485Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 When the Lanterns Fade, the Calamity Ends 灯明劫尽 [Two strong leads, brilliant strategists, devoted only to each other, revenge, dual identities, dual personalities, an alternate world not based on any historical dynasty, plenty of witty flirting] She is the eldest princess, rumored to be cherished by all, yet she witnessed her mother spend her life being manipulated by the man she loved. Gentle and composed on the surface, she excels at reading people and understands human nature. To stir up the court, she will stop at nothing. She will destro 2kReads9.3Score26914d adds
- 13 Ning Jinge 宁烬歌 [Female commander × top-tier spy and assassin | Two equally matched leads | Court intrigue and the martial world | Standing together in troubled times | Devoted 1v1 romance] The sweeping scale of a male-oriented story, with the emotional depth of a female-oriented one. Fast-paced and tightly plotted, with no filler or dragging. The political intrigue is logical, and long-laid clues are brought back into play. A serious world with lighthearted, hilarious everyday moments, and an incredibly sweet 377Reads8.5Score10314d adds
- 14 Sima the Old Rogue 司马老贼 He is the gravedigger of Cao Wei and the founder of Western Jin. He is the “old rogue Sima,” and the last winner of the Three Kingdoms. Centered on Sima Yi, this novel unfolds a sweeping panorama of the late Han and Three Kingdoms era. Witness how he treads carefully under the suspicion of three generations of powerful rulers: Cao Cao, Cao Pi, and Cao Rui; how he and Zhuge Liang wage an ultimate contest of will and national strength at Mount Qi and the Wei River; and how, in his twilight years, 496Reads9.3Score—14d adds
- 15 The Horse-Riding Hidden Scheme 走马藏局 Geomancy and the Yin-Yang arts rule the world, while the Jianghu is full of schemes! At twelve, Shen Qianfan became an orphan and was cast adrift in the Jianghu. He grew up teaching himself from books scavenged from trash heaps, cleared his father's name, and pressed on through one Jianghu con after another, setting schemes and breaking them, navigating schemes within schemes. He cut a path through every obstacle, built a business empire, and leveraged his influence to establish a regional milit 1.6kReads6.3Score19014d adds
- 16 A Meteoric Rise in Officialdom: I Use Medicine to Reach the Pinnacle of Power 官途狂飙：我靠医术问鼎权利巅峰 [No transmigration, no rebirth, no System, political scheming, ruthless, single-mindedly focused on treating the sick and saving lives, and even more determined to help ordinary people live better lives] Three years ago, Li Qiushui, born into poverty, graduated with a degree in traditional Chinese medicine from Capital Medical University! To care for and treat his seriously ill father, Li Qiushui resolutely gave up the opportunity to work at a major hospital. He returned to Taohuawu Village to b 9.7kReads8.8Score1.3k14d adds
- 17 Reborn in the World of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer 重生笑傲江湖世界 The protagonist is reborn in the world of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. What are the Five Mountains Sword Alliance, the Sunflower Manual, or the Dugu Nine Swords compared to doing whatever you please? The martial world is simply a place where people clash with one another. 63Reads—Score—14d adds
- 18 Demon Slayer of the Frozen Abyss 寒渊诛魔 I'm pleased to recommend my new book, Dustblade Suppresses the Palace Gate. Old friends and new, come join us in a world of wuxia, where the imperial court stands tall and the rivers and lakes stretch far and wide. Ordinary people lead extraordinary lives. They pursue vengeance and justice with abandon, and fight for their homeland and family. Each person pushes forward with all their might for the wishes they hold dear. 14.9kReads8.7Score1.3k14d adds
- 19 The Crown Prince Is a Treasure Trove, but She Flirts and Runs 太子浑身是宝，但她撩完就跑 [Clever revenge + ensemble court drama + male lead fakes his death and reveals his identity, then goes mad + heroine is his one true love] [Power couple comedy | Strategic mind games | All the right ingredients | Fictional setting] Axiang, a huntress, bought herself a live-in husband. He was handsome, with a fine figure and a noble, radiant air, like an immortal crane descended from the heavens, or a jade-faced gentleman from a storybook. But he had no idea how to show affection. When she offer 1.6kReads9.2Score19814d adds
- 20 No Hope of Survival 生还无期 [No CP, No Female Lead] + [Infinite Deaths and Resurrections] + [Superpower Awakening] + [Mind Games and Strategy] + [Ensemble Cast] + [Life in Review] The keywords of this book are “human nature,” “death games,” and “setting traps.” The thirteen characters who appear from the start all play important roles! Each has a distinct personality, and every one of them will have a major part to play later in the story. This book also features endless deaths, so if that’s not your thing, please read wit 8.1kReads9.3Score84014d adds
- 21 The Winds of Change in Fengge 锋戈之风起云涌 After a century of prosperity, the Great Yu Dynasty is in decline, beset by troubles at home and abroad. The court is in turmoil, and Xu Yunshan, the Great Yu's foremost commander, who had already retired to the mountains, is forced back into a web of intrigue and power struggles... 102Reads—Score—14d adds
- 22 Farming: From Sect Tenant Farmer to Supreme Across the Myriad Worlds 种田：从宗门佃户到万界独尊 [Farming] + [Ensemble cast] + [Lord] + [Conquest] + [System] + [Satisfying wish fulfillment] Zhang Guiyuan transmigrates to a parallel world at the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, where he becomes a tenant farmer growing spiritual plants for a sect. He awakens the strongest Lord System and obtains an unparalleled book: Postpartum Care for Sows He settles into a fine life of farming, raising pigs, and teasing his wicked sword cultivator little sister. But then a calamity that comes once every tho 3.2kReads5.7Score18714d adds
- 23 The Reverse Maze 逆位迷宫 On the day of his eighteenth birthday, Bai Ze's life begins a countdown. Survive or perish: that is the choice. // Three lives, six paths, a mist-shrouded maze. Nothing is harder than choosing one's fate. 92.1kReads9.5Score7.2k14d adds
- 24 The Mighty Little Constable 神通小捕快 “One leaf riding the wind, roaming ten thousand miles; a dashing constable, famous throughout the land.” The most righteous men are often those society looks down on, and heroes rise from the streets. The spring breeze and I are both passing travelers, but your name alone belongs to the martial world. Ye Fei, a lowly errand boy at an inn, is rejected by the Su family because he's nothing but a nobody who runs errands! Who could have guessed that after getting drunk, saving a beauty, and catching 15.1kReads8.8Score1.5k14d adds
- 25 Ambush 伏杀 [Original title: Ambush] Beneath the awe-inspiring might of Heaven, all living beings are mere ants. And yet he dares, with the strength of an insect, to turn the world upside down. For family, for friends, for the burning hatred in his heart, for the nightmares that haunt him year after year, for justice, and for fairness. This story is set in an imaginary world and has no connection to actual history. Everything in it is fictional. Any similarities are purely coincidental. 15.1kReads8.3Score96214d adds
- 26 Apocalypse: The Whole Company Denies the Existence of the 18th Floor 末世：全公司否认18楼存在 [Apocalypse + No System + Reborn + Mystery + One Female Lead + Zombies + Hard Sci-Fi + No Mindless Decisions + Revenge] Reborn six hours before the apocalypse, Chu Yan has not only retained his memories of the future, but also mastered the ultimate secret of genetic evolution! He can become the most powerful god in the apocalypse! He frantically stockpiles supplies, builds weapons, modifies vehicles, and saves his parents, racing against time! He will kill his enemies with his own hands and turn 3.6kReads8.7Score31414d adds
- 27 Against the Meridians: Liar, Stop! 逆经：骗子住手 [Original novel for the animated series This Taoist Is Not Quite Right] Life is unpredictable. The fit thrive under Heaven's law, Those skilled in force become generals, those skilled in strategy become kings. Born into the lowest of professions, he refuses to live like a nobody, He waves the yin-yang banner and sees through the Six Lines of Divination. Watch him play at being a spirit medium, watch him swindle and deceive, Watch him make ruthless decisions, watch him rise like a hidden dragon f 43.1kReads9.4Score4.4k14d adds
- 28 Apocalypse Cockroach 末日蟑螂 Zhang Xiaoqiang is an insignificant nobody, a lazy loser who had been content to lounge around and wait to die. Staying at home lets him avoid the first outbreak of the zombie virus. When he sees his neighbors in the same apartment complex turn into zombies, he is overcome with boundless terror. He struggles to survive alone in an Apocalypse where people prey on each other. At last, worn down by loneliness, he picks up his gear and heads out into a world shrouded in smoke and fire. He takes the 26.8kReads8.9Score2.4k14d adds
- 29 The Ninth Special Zone 第九特区 After the catastrophe, the land was scarred beyond recognition. Food was scarce, resources were in short supply, and the situation was chaotic... A young man who had fought his way out of an undeveloped zone, with endless yellow sand at his back, came alone to District Nine to make a living. Yet he never expected to meet a few good friends by chance, rise to prominence in the chaotic era over a single thought, and embark on a legendary journey... 210.7kReads9.6Score22.6k14d adds
- 30 EN The Gods' Foolish Game 诸神愚戏 I have two principles in life: 1. I never lie. 2. I never believe anything anyone says, including myself. “Sir, I would like to point out that your second statement conflicts with the first.” “How so?” “If you never lie, why don’t you believe what you say?” “Oh, sorry. I forgot to mention that I don’t consider myself human.” “?” Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Cheng Shi, Cheng Shi who never lies. What, you’ve never heard of me? That’s all right. You simply haven’t been deceived by m 519.6kReads9.7Score67.5k14d adds
- 31 EN I'm Not a God of Theater 我不是戏神 The brand-new masterpiece by San Jiu Yin Yu, author of Slay the Gods | Winner of the Best Science-Fiction Web Novel Award at the Macau International Science Fiction Awards | A Chinese grotesque epic that turns the tide of an era After a scarlet meteor streaked across the sky, human civilization ground to a halt. From that day onward, humanity could no longer build a rocket, a nuclear bomb, an airplane, a car... The pyramid of civilization built upon modern science collapsed with a thunderous roa 1.7MReads9.9Score178.8k14d adds
- 32 EN Ten Days to the End 十日终焉 2024 Tomato Novel Annual Peak Rankings TOP 1 | 2024 China Online Literature Influence List | 2024 China Good Novel Award | Over 2 million copies sold (No harem, no formulaic tropes, no invincibility, no System, no mindless antics, no wish fulfillment. Read with caution if these bother you.) Just when I thought it was an ordinary day, I discovered I had been captured and taken to the End. Just when I thought I could escape by continually taking part in death games, people began awakening supernat 1.7MReads9.9Score206.4k14d adds
